


Cocktail party

by Aryalaenkha



Series: Until Dawn [27]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:16:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28572132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aryalaenkha/pseuds/Aryalaenkha
Summary: Take place:M.E. 756 (May 15th)
Series: Until Dawn [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2090427





	Cocktail party

**Author's Note:**

> **Take place:** M.E. 756 (May 15th)

The night had fallen on Insomnia and Aurora had no desire to go to this party organized in honor of the visit of the delegation from Niflheim for the signing of the peace treaty. In the car that drove them to the hotel “Caelum Via” where the reception was to take place, King Regis was talking with his daughter who was looking out of the window at the city landscape that was passing before her eyes.

— I’m counting on you to stay as natural as possible, Aurora.

— I know what to do. Don’t let anything appear from our discussion this morning. So don’t worry about that.

The Princess spoke in a monotonous tone, her face devoid of any expression. She wondered where her brother was at this time of day and if everything was all right for him and his friends. If they were safe for the night and hoping the daemons wouldn’t come and attack them. It was hard for Aurora not to be with them when she had always been with them all these years. But the issues of the next day would be crucial for all of them. And she knew it well. Seeing his daughter like that, Regis came to lay his hand on her

— I’m really sorry to impose all this on you.

— The sake of the Lucians comes before mine, Dad.

He nodded slightly, grateful for his daughter’s self-sacrifice for her age. As he was about to speak again, the car stopped and a Glaive opened the door. The King came out and stood up with the help of his cane, closely followed by the Princess who was dressed in an elegant black dress embroidered with pearls. Aurora took oner formal mask, smiled and waved at the crowd and journalists behind the security fences. Then she took her father’s arm and both walked towards the hotel entrance, walking on the red carpet that had been unrolled for the occasion.

As King Regis welcomed Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt in an exchange of fancy words tinged with sarcasm, Aurora stepped forward to a young blonde woman dressed in white who was looking at the fireworks near the guardrail and addressed her in a soft voice.

— All these lights often fascinated me as a child… But they will never be worth the beauty of Tenebrae’s starry sky.

— I’m glad you remember that despite all these years, Aurora.

The young woman turned her head towards her with an affectionate smile and Aurora softly took her in her arms in a friendly embrace of reunion.

— It’s been so long, Luna.

— Far too long, indeed… I was hoping to see Noctis when I came here. But I see that he’s not there.

The Lucian Princess stepped aside slightly to look at her, tilting her head with an interrogating gaze and speaking in a low voice.

— Noctis? He left this morning… But… I thought you were supposed to meet each other at Altissia for your wedding…

— I had to, but I…

The Oracle quickly threw a look around and continued in the same tone so that no one would hear them.

— … There was a little setback…

Aurora frowned slightly, thoughtfully. Was this related to Crowe’s mission in Tenebrae that cost to lost her life? Another question that came to overwhelm her already cluttered mind. But as she was about to speak again, a male voice was heard just behind her.

— From afar, seeing you talking like that, I might almost think you’re plotting.

The High Commander who had just spoken gave her younger sister a meaningful look, asking her to be quiet, before turning her attention to the Lucian woman.

— Her Highness Aurora Lucis Caelum. So then I meet my… betrothed.

Aurora gave him a sarcastic grin, which seemed almost to please him.

— Sir Ravus Nox Fleuret. It’s a pleasure to see you here.

Ravus took a look at Lunafreya.

— Can you leave us alone, my dear sister? I have… to discuss with my future wife.

The Oracle nodded and came to smile at the Princess.

— We’ll make up for lost time another time.

She bowed slightly and then stared at her brother for a second, before moving away. The fair-haired man frowned slightly and turned his head towards Aurora.

— Last time we saw each other, you were just a child.

Aurora drew a small amused smile, the tone of her somewhat sardonic voice.

— Twelve years have passed. You didn’t think I’d stay a seven-year-old girl forever, did you?

— I always keep in mind the innocent little girl who had got lost in the woods following a butterfly.

— This little girl hasn’t been around for a long time. And I’ll let you judge for yourself what has become of her, Sir Ravus.

— I’m curious to see that, Your Highness. I like to believe that my future wife has become a formidable woman worthy of her lineage.

They defied the gaze of the other without flinching, each staring at the other’s blue eyes. Aurora could not deny that over the years, Ravus had become a handsome man. But despite the little crush she had on him when she was a child, she no longer had any feelings for him except perhaps mistrust. As for Ravus, he seemed completely indifferent to the charming woman who had become the Princess of Lucis. After a few long seconds, the High Commander gently came close to her ear and whispered.

— Enjoy the show while you still can. Within two days, you will leave your beautiful Insomnia and become mine, whether you like it or not.

She replied with the same contempt.

— I’ll be your wife on paper, but remember one thing: I will never be yours.

As she was about to move away, he grabbed her wrist firmly, frowned, and brought her back to her.

— Don’t think to play the wise guy with me.

The Princess’ s sardonic grin became all the bigger.

— Do you see the Glaives posted all over this terrace? They’re looking at us as I speak to you, and it would only take one gesture on my part for them to come at you. You wouldn’t dare provoke a diplomatic incident the day before a peace treaty was signed, would you?

Ravus quickly scanned the surroundings and found that she was telling the truth. The guards present were watching them, their hands on a concealed weapon, and seemed ready to react if their Princess had any trouble. He clenched his jaw, giving her a death stare and released her wrist.

— You were right about one thing. The little girl with butterflies has grown up well.

She smiled at him with a satisfied look, making a small bow and then moved away by massaging her slightly painful wrist. She looked towards Nyx, who was standing by the large cylindrical aquarium slowly removing his hand from his dagger. She simply nodded, making him understand that everything was under control, then she took a place further back, grabbing a glass of champagne on a waiter’s tray as she passed. She would have liked to go back to the Citadel, but it was still early and this would be relatively frowned upon by their guests. She took her crystal pendant and rolled it between her fingers, lost in her thoughts. As she looked at Insomnia lying at her feet, sparkling with a thousand lights, a new male voice spoke to her.

— Beautiful evening, isn’t it?

Aurora raised an eyebrow and turned her head towards her interlocutor.

— Mr. Chancellor. Nice to meet you.

— It’s my pleasure, Your Highness.

Ardyn respectfully bowed his head, taking off his hat to greet her before standing up, and the young woman did the same out of politeness. Having to talk to the enemy was not really something she liked, but she had to continue to wear the mask of the one who did not know her father’s intentions. She was still intrigued by the vision that the Divine Crystal had sent her a few weeks back about him without really understanding its meaning.

— I hope that the prospect of this peace treaty fills you with joy as much as I do.

He paused briefly.

— Oh! I forgot. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

He smiled at her with cleverly concealed intentions, which intrigued Aurora slightly. She drew a half smile back, preferring to hide the true substance of her thought.

— As long as it marks the end of this war, I don’t care. I do this for the sake of the Lucians.

— Oh! What a self-sacrifice! That’s all to your credit, Your Highness. It seems that this is a quality worthy of great sovereigns.

— I’ve no doubt about that.

She discreetly champed at the bit and held back from over-tightening the champagne flute she was holding in her hand for fear of it breaking. She had to stay calm, not get carried away, not be too scathing as she could sometimes be. She had to be diplomatic and courteous.

— It’s getting late, I’m not going to bother you any longer. It would be a pity not to arrive on time tomorrow for the signing of the treaty because of a too short night.

— Indeed.

— Have a good end of the evening and look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Ardyn took her hand and kissed her with a very formal hand kiss, without touching her skin. For a brief second he looked at her crystal pendant, let go of her hand and walked away. The Princess turned to the guardrail and looked up at the horizon with a sigh.

A hand finally landed on her shoulder, taking her out of her thoughts.

— It’s time to go home, Aurora.

— All right, Dad.


End file.
